BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Mainland tourists made 1.45 million trips to Taiwan in the first nine months of the year, statistics from the National Tourism Administration showed Tuesday.

The figure marked a 73.6-percent rise year on year, the administration said in an online statement.

The increasing tourist flow came as mainland residents in more cities have been allowed to apply to travel to Taiwan as individuals under a cross-Strait agreement.

Mainlanders started traveling to Taiwan in groups in July 2008, while individual travelers in certain cities received permission to visit the island in June 2011.

Last year, about 1.23 million Chinese mainland tourists visited Taiwan and the figure is expected to hit 1.8 million this year.

The Chinese mainland is currently the largest source of tourists for Taiwan. Mainland tourists account for about 30 percent of the island's visitors.